Harry & Suzy- Extreme Makeover Edition
by JackPotr
Summary: Harry and Susan meet for the first time on the platform, or did they?


Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claims on Harry Potter and the other characters which you have seen before in the Harry Potter universe nor do I make any money from doing this.

AN: First and foremost, I want to say thank you to StrollingAlong for volunteering to beta this story for me. This is only the first chapter and I am already excited to see what we can create together.

Chapter 1

October 15, 1981

Senior Auror Amelia Bones knelt beside the body of her brother and sister-in-law and silently grieved for her loss. She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder as her partner said, "I'm so sorry, Ami. I know how close you were."

Amelia stood and for a brief moment, let her emotions out as she pulled Sirius into a hug. "You and James were family to him, too."

The brief moment over, Amelia's eyes hardened and asked, "Any sign of Suzy?"

"I'm sorry, but not yet, Ami. From what we can tell, Gloria went down first. The way she's laying means that she was protecting something. My guess would be little Suzy. From the looks of the room, Edgar burst in and gave them one hell of a fight. The blood found around the room suggests that he took out or seriously wounded at least six, but they took the bodies with them so we don't know their fates. I've already alerted the guards at Mungos."

Amelia looked upon the scene, and felt as if her insides were being ripped out. She forced a small but sad smile on her face. "If he got six, then he beat my record so far. Anyway, if Suzy isn't here, then I have a pretty good idea where she is. Give me a minute."

"You need me to come?"

"Not this time, Siri. It's a Bones family thing. I'm sure you understand."

Sirius Black stood there and waited for his partner to come back. They had only been partnered since James and Lily had gone into hiding, but so far worked well together - and of course had been friends for years. As his bosses had told him, Amelia was a rising star in the department. They collectively felt it was in their best interest to have someone at her side that would not only compliment her investigational style but her dueling style as well. Amelia was known as a heavy hitter or a power dueler. While she was an extremely talented duelist, if someone could shield her, her power output would allow her to smash down anything that stood in her way.

Sirius was powerful in his own right, but he was more of a finesse dueler. He would have to be given that he was James Potter's dueling partner for so many years. They had both perfected their techniques under Filius Flitwick and would systematically take apart an opponent piece by piece, all while protecting each other with the utmost devotion.

Sirius still stood silently when Amelia finally walked out of the darkness from one of the manor hallways. She was carrying a small bundle in her arms.

"How is she?"

"Sleeping. Tilly was there with her, as always. I asked her to call all the Bones elves together, and then told them to clean the manor up once you have cleared the scene and have given them permission. I guess I should also warn them to expect the Goblins to come and do some ward work."

Sirius was concerned over Amelia's reactions. He knew her well enough to know that she was only holding it together by the strength of her will. He stepped over and wrapped his arms around Amelia and Susan. "You know I'm here if you need me."

She gave him a slight nod. "Just get this over with quickly. The sooner you do, the sooner I can bring Susan back home."

"So you're leaving your flat?"

"I've no choice now. It falls upon me to assume the Head of House Bones until little Susan is ready to take my place."

Sirius shook his head and growled out, "I hate all this crap! If anything happens to James and Lily, little Harry will be saddled with an awful mess as well. I'm actually afraid I just made it worse."

Amelia snapped out, "What could make it worse?"

"I made him my heir. With my mother being a complete lunatic ever since Reg died, the duties fell to me despite her wishes. If I go down, he'll have to take on the Black title as well."

She looked at him cautiously. "Are you aware of anything else?"

"Yeah, I know of those, too. Little Harry will have a lot on his shoulders one day."

"As will Susan. I'm sure you are aware of the contract."

"Of course I know of it. I had to sign off on it as the Godfather when I made him my heir."

Amelia stood there holding Susan in her arms for a minute as she thought of everything that needed to be done. She turned back to Sirius with a tear running down her cheek and asked, "Would you ask James and Lily to watch her for a short time? I… I don't think I can do everything I must and give Susan the proper care right now."

"You have Tilly to help you."

She turned on him as the tears began to fall at a quicker pace. "Damn it, Siri! I just lost Edgar and Gloria, and Susan just lost her mum and dad. She's going to need more than I've got at the moment. I need more than I've got at the moment. I need a little time to pull things back together."

Sirius nodded and pulled out a mirror. Amelia watched as he tapped it and then said, "Jamie?"

The screen shimmered for second before the face of James Potter came into view. "What's wrong, Siri?"

"Um, Edgar and Gloria were attacked tonight."

"Oh Merlin, are they . . . ?"

Sirius looked briefly at Amelia, the apology in his eyes. "Yeah," he said quietly as his face fell.

"Shit! I hate being here where I can't help."

"Little Suzy?"

"She's fine, Ami's got her."

"Oh, thank God. Is there anything Lily and I can do?"

Sirius smiled weakly, nodding his head slightly toward Amelia. "Actually, there is something. Ami was hoping you could keep Suzy for a few days while she dealt with everything. The wards are down here at Bones Manor. While the wards on her flat are pretty tough, they wouldn't hold up long under an assault. There's also too much going on for her to drop everything at the moment and take care of Suzy."

"Got it, say no more. Bring Suzy over right away. I'll let Lily know she's coming. She'll love on Suzy while Amelia's getting organized, and probably just think of it as practice for when we have a daughter."

Sirius perked up. "Is she?"

James grinned brightly for a moment despite the situation. "Yeah, she cast the spells this morning. Come by and we'll have a quiet drink."

As Sirius closed the connection, Amelia smiled with him at the unexpected news despite the situation she was in at the moment. Sirius said, "James and Lily locked in a house with nothing else to do; no… I didn't see that one coming."

Amelia chuckled weakly, wiping again at her eyes, and called for Tilly. When the little elf arrived, Amelia instructed her to pack a bag for a week-long visit to the Potters. Tilly nodded, but asked, "Will Mistress be requiring Tilly to accompany Miss Susan?"

"No, Tilly, I need you here to make sure everything is ready for Susan's return." Amelia saw the crestfallen look on Tilly's face and made a split-second decision. "But I trust that you will continue to monitor Susan and go to her if she was in distress."

The little elf smiled. "Yes, Ma'am, thank you, Ma'am."

Sirius looked on for a moment with a raised eyebrow.

Amelia caught his expression and said, "Tilly bonded with Susan as soon as she was born. It was Tilly's own doing, as she thought it the only way to properly protect her in these times."

"Special elf."

Amelia just nodded as Tilly popped back in with the bag. Tilly then did something neither adult had seen. She reached out and caressed Susan's cheek before placing a kiss on it.

Amelia kissed little Suzy's forehead as well before reluctantly handing her to Sirius. "Careful with her, Siri, she's all I have left."

"With my life, Ami, I do so swear. Besides, she's practically my god-daughter-in-law. I'm duty bound to protect her."

October 30, 1981

Sirius handed Amelia his mirror so that she and Lily could talk.

"I'm so sorry, Lily; the Goblins have been delayed by the high demand for warding. I was given a promise that Bones Manor would be completed by the first even if they had to work all night."

"It's okay, Ami. We love having her here, no matter why or how long, and she and Harry are just so cute together. Those two have evidently been watching me and James too much."

"How so?"

"The little Marauder stole a kiss from her the other day. It was so funny to watch her put her hand on her hip and growl out 'Hawwy James'. What was even funnier was when he replied 'Sowwy Sue'."

Amelia started laughing, the mental image breaking through her past two weeks of pure misery and anger.

Lily continued, "They don't know a lot of words yet, but they have each others' names down pat. Anyway, she can stay as long as she needs to. I love every minute of it."

Amelia nodded. "Thank you, Lily. I'm sorry I imposed for so long, but I had to get myself back together."

"May I ask a favor, Amelia?"

"Anything!"

"Watch after my son."

"What do you mean?"

"I've got . . . well, you might think it silly or a little crazy, but I've got a really bad feeling. Take care of my baby, Ami. I've had dreams. Everything falls apart and Harry suffers for it. I've done everything I can think of, everything I could find, but it still may not be enough. I've planned for every scenario I can but… please don't let Albus get a hold of my son. I don't trust him anymore."

"I will, Lily. I swear on my magic."

"Thank you, so much. Goodbye, Amelia."

Amelia closed the connection and looked to Sirius who was standing there. "She made me do the same thing. Something has her rattled in a big way, and that's just not like Lily. James said she has been constantly writing letters and sealing them up with spells he's never even heard of. He even caught her sealing one envelope with blood."

"My Susan is there with them Siri, but I can't bring her back yet. It wouldn't be safe. Do you think Susan will be okay with them for another night or two?"

"I know, you're in a real bind. They are under the fidelius, remember, so they should be safe."

"She said not to trust Albus. Why? And didn't he cast the fidelius?"

"All I know is that she kept saying it was just a feeling she had. He was a little too interested in Harry. The Fidelius is working, and I've been checking on their secret keeper Peter as often as I can. I don't know anything else I can do."

"You're not the secret keeper?"

"No, everyone would assume it to be me since we are so close. We thought it would be better for me to be a decoy to protect the secret. You can't tell others, though, we're keeping that fact strictly need-to-know."

"Who knows this?"

"Albus, Peter, James, Lily, me, and now you."

Amelia pulled a piece of parchment from her pocket. "I know secrecy is important here, but you have no protection if things go wrong. Write out a statement and sign it with this blood quill. I think you also need to leave a memory of the casting as well."

"Ami, what are you doing with a blood quill? And why all this?"

"If I've learned anything in these last few weeks, it's to cover all the bases. If things fall apart like Lily fears, it may be all that stands between you and prison. I can't have that. Siri. I'm going to need you to keep me sane, and your help with Susan and Harry."

"All right, then, if you think so. Where do we put this so that it will be safe?"

"One copy in the Bones vault, one in the Potter vault, and two in your personal vault. One should remain there and the other should be set on a timer that every ten days, if anything were to happen to both of us, the Goblins are instructed to act in your behalf. If we're okay, they put it back in the vault. You'll probably have to pay a monthly fee for it, the greedy monsters."

"Damn, Ami, you're taking this pretty seriously."

Her eyes snapped up at him, burning in their intensity. "As you should too, Sirius Black. This is our _family_ we are talking about."

"I know, Ami, I know. Sorry, bad joke at a bad time."

October 31, 1981

Lily grabbed Harry and Susan and ran for the nursery and their emergency escape as Voldemort blasted the front door in. James yelled out, "Go, Lily! Take them and get out of here."

Voldemort strolled into the room only to find James standing there pointing his wand. "Where's that little shit Peter? When I'm through with you, I'm going to roast the little rat alive."

"Ah, yes, false bravado. Come now, James. This doesn't have end this way. Give me your son, join me, and I will put you in a place of honor amongst my followers."

"Kiss my ass! The Potters will never bow to a jumped up Dark Lord like you."

Voldemort smiled darkly. "So be it, then." Faster than even James Potter could react, the green eldritch fire of the killing curse reached out and struck him in the chest. Lily heard everything downstairs, followed by the loud thump of what was surely James falling to the ground. She was trapped, since some kind of shielding prevented her from using any of their escape routes or devices. She then heard the slow measured steps as they came up the stairs. She erected a barricade in front of the door but Voldemort just waved his hand and it slid to the side.

The low chuckle that came out of the thing in front of her sent shivers up her spine. "You cannot escape, my dear. Your precious portkey won't work. The house will not let you leave without my permission. The only way to save your life is to give up the child to me."

She spat back, "NEVER!"

An already upset Susan looked up and saw the monster that had come to her house and hurt her parents. She did the only thing she could and started screaming. The distress Susan felt was also felt by Tilly who immediately popped in.

Lily saw the little elf out of the corner of her eye, and desperately said, "Take them! Go! Get to safety!"

With tears in her eyes, Tilly responded, "Tilly sorry, Mistress, but the wards stop Tilly from talking anyone but her bonded."

Voldemort chuckled darkly. "Of course they do. What do I care about some little girl that will in the future breed me more followers? I want the boy. Take the girl if you wish."

Lily nodded her head weakly, never taking her eyes off of Voldemort. "Then go, Tilly. Get her out of here."

With a pop, Tilly and Susan were gone. Lily stayed in front of Harry and continued staring at Voldemort with defiance in her eyes.

Voldemort merely looked at her for a minute before he said, "Pity, one as talented and beautiful as you would have been a welcome member of my group."

"I know what your followers do to mudbloods. I will be no one's sex toy."

"And yet you were Potters' toy?"

Lily sneered back in her defiance. "Ha, as if, he was mine!"

"I see why Severus holds you in such high regard. Pity he has resisted my complete control. I was going to use your capture to finally make him mine. I guess I'll just have to kill you and blame your husband, son, and the old fool to achieve my means."

The bone white wand came up with the green eldritch fire already flying from it. As Lily dropped to the floor, Harry stood watching with wide eyes. When his eyes locked on Voldemort's, a chill went up the adult's spine as he looked into the eyes that prophecy foretold could mean his death. Of that he had no doubt, for that was why he must eliminate the threat now – before the boy could grow into someone that could make that prophecy true. Using more determination than he ever had before, the wand came up and spat its green death at the toddler.

Something happened faster than the human mind could comprehend. A silver orb flew from Lily's abdomen and coalesced into a silver shield in front of Harry. It did not really know what it was doing and was only responding to the last thing it heard from its host which was to protect Harry at any cost.

The curse struck just as the shield formed. When the curse and the shield collided, the shield dissipated as if it had never even been there and Harry had been thrown back from the magical backlash. Voldemort could not process what was happening fast enough, as the shield reflected the green curse right back at him except it was much faster on return. The force of the backlash was so strong that it left the crib practically destroyed. As Harry landed, a piece of wood cut a jagged scar on his forehead.

Young Harry screamed and then turned away from the wood as he curled up into a ball whimpering into a stuffed grim. On the other side of the room, Voldemort was also screaming as his soul was torn from his body and all that was left was a black vapor. As he looked down upon his body, the dark rituals he had performed took their price by burning up his body and turning it to ash. The black vapor floated there staring at the scene around him, Voldemort realized that he did not have the strength to get away, and latched onto the one source of magic in the room. The black vapor threw itself into the body of the toddler and was instantly energized. It was amazed at the magic contained within the child, and thought of it as a strong source of magic which would feed him and keep him alive. Drawing up his impressive intelligence, he recognized that he could not remain within the boy for long, for it would naturally reject and attack him. He had to flee now that he had taken what magic he could, at least until he could find a way to a new body. On the plus side, he could tell that his stealing of the boy's magical energy had created some kind of sympathetic syphon between their magic potentials, so the boy would never develop full strength – which was a sort of victory all on its own with regards to the prophecy. Voldemort then flew out the broken roof and away from the danger to him that had surely been alerted.

**H&S**

That same evening, Sirius was combing London looking for Peter. Every time he came up empty, his dread grew more pronounced.

In Godric's Hollow, the sight of the cottage where the Potters were hiding, a tall thin man with a long silver beard walked towards the house that looked as if it had seen battle. As he stepped inside, his used his boot to roll over the man lying there. He looked down into the vacant hazel eyes staring back up at him without any emotion. "My apologies, James, but it was all for the Greater Good."

The old man climbed the stairs and made his way to the nursery. He saw Lily lying on the floor in front of a crib with her eyes staring just as blankly. He shuddered at the thought of even touching the woman so he used his wand to move the body. It was when he turned while levitating the body such that he could drop it out of the way that he noticed the second crib in the room. Disposing of Lily's body in the corner, he made his way over to the second crib. The first thing he noticed was that it was decorated for a little girl. At first he grew concerned that the Potters had signed a contract for little Harry, but on a hunch he pointed his wand at Lily. The spell he wove over her showed that a fetus, a female fetus, had previously been growing inside her.

He dismissed his previous thoughts, for clearly in her boredom from confinement, Lily was keeping herself busy by preparing for the birth of her daughter. It never occurred to the old man that it was quite early to be setting up a nursery. As these thoughts settled comfortably into his contemplations as well understood, he finally moved over to the crib were he picked up the sleeping toddler. A quick examination showed the child magically exhausted, with a scar on his forehead that was giving off some dark readings.

He finally said softly, "Let us go, young Harry. It is time for you to begin your true destiny."

He disappeared and when he reappeared, he was standing at the door to his office inside a huge castle. He quickly cast a spell that caused the door to open, creaking in protest at the sudden movement, as he ran into the secret room he had prepared for this very moment. For everything to work properly, he had to work fast, lest others find out what had happened before he returned. He first cast an initial diagnostic on the toddler. When he was satisfied with the results, he began pulling vials from the slab he had placed the boy on. With swift motions, he started pouring them down the young boy's throat, using magic to make the child compliant. When the boy briefly flashed red, he knew that the potions had worked and then cast several spells on the boy. After several tense minutes, he was exhausted but knew his night was far from over.

He picked the boy up once again and used the special gateway just outside his office door, which only he could activate. As soon as he stepped into the gateway area, he was gone once again.

As the old man was working his magic upon young Harry, Sirius grew increasingly panicky at not finding Peter. The only thing he could think of to do now was to go check on James and Lily and warn them that something was wrong. Just as he was determined to go, his mirror flashed, and he heard Ami's voice calling out to him.

"Siri! Siri! Answer me on this damned thing!"

"Ami? What's wrong?"

"Siri! You need to get to the Potters, immediately! Tilly just showed up with Suzy! I'm calling in for Aurors to get there as fast as possible!"

As his mirror abruptly cut off, Sirius felt a ball of lead form in his gut. His breath hitched when he arrived at the cottage and saw the damage. With no other thoughts but his family, he ran inside despite the possible danger lurking there. Finding James at the entrance, he fell to his knees as tears poured over the body of his brother in all but blood.

He realized that he had not yet checked on anyone else and ran up the stairs. Seeing Lily lying on the floor with the same vacant eyes as James, Sirius moved over to her and once again felt tears hot and wet fall. After a few moments, he brushed her hair out of her eyes and placed a kiss on her forehead.

As he rose, he noticed something strange in that Lily was lying in front of Susan's crib. It was not that he doubted her love for Susan, but it must have been Harry that was the target tonight - and he knew Lily would have fought with all that she was to protect her son. The thought went through his mind that he would check with Ami soon to see if Suzy was all right.

He moved over to Harry's crib and found Harry missing as well, but all of his things were still there. It made Sirius proud to know that Harry never went anywhere without his stuffed grim. It was also a point of endless teasing for James as Harry preferred the grim over the stag. As he picked up the grim, he noticed his hands were wet. When he pulled one hand away to look at it, the blood that coated it terrified him.

In his panic, he ran out of the house carrying the grim and disappeared instantly. Had he waited just a few minutes more, he would have seen Albus Dumbledore walking back up the path to the house carrying a small bundle in his arms. Albus turned at a sound and saw the half-giant Hagrid walking out of the woods.

"Thank you for coming. May I ask how you got here?"

"Um… I shadow travelled with a wraith. Misunderstood creatures they are. Bob was very polite and willing to help me. You just missed young Sirius."

"Did I really? We need to get young Harry to the safety of his Aunt's house. I think young Sirius' motorbike is in the shed. Perhaps it would be a safer way to travel with Harry than with a wraith?"

"I don't like it, Professor. Everyone knows that Lily and her sister din't get along."

"Yes, well, she's all young Harry has left. If you would, make your way there as I go and prepare everything."

"But, isn't Sirius his godfather?"

"Yes, he is, but something happened here tonight and right now, I don't know who I can trust with young Harry's safety. Right now, I want you to take him to his Aunt's. We can sort the rest out later."

"Yes, Sir."

As Hagrid took Harry in his arms, he looked down and said, "Cute little bugger ain't he?"

"Yes, I suppose so, Hagrid. For now, though, he may be the only symbol of hope for our world. We must protect him."

"Yes, Sir. I'll see you there."

Albus Dumbledore disappeared, missing by mere seconds the arrival of a complete Auror assault team. When Dumbledore reappeared, he was in a muggle neighborhood. He took a small device out of his pocket and began clicking it. For every click, an orb of light floated down from a lamp post until he had the entire area in darkness. It was then that he pulled out a wand and raised his hands. His hands and wand glowed as he began the chants that he knew would take quite some time and far too much energy. When he was finally done, he noticed the tabby cat sitting patiently watching him.

"I've seen that look before, Minerva. Come, speak what is on your mind."

"Is it true about James and Lily?"

"I'm afraid so, yes."

"Young Harry?"

"He lives, and is the reason why I sent you here today."

She gave him a questioning look as if to convey 'how could you possibly know?' to the strange comment. "Do you plan on leaving the boy here?"

"She is his last relative."

"What of Sirius, he is the child's Godfather?"

"I'm afraid he is too grief stricken at the moment, and will not be able to care for Harry in the near future."

"You act as if you know the future. Surely he will see reason and take Harry under his care."

"I'm afraid that young Sirius is beyond reason at the moment. He took one look at James' and Lily's bodies, and, without a thought about Harry, left seeking revenge."

"Revenge on whom?"

"That my dear is the question of the hour. Surely it is obvious that Sirius betrayed the Potters. He is a Black after all."

"What about Frank and Alice? Surely they can take him in."

"I'm afraid that they are hidden as well, and as it is, I don't know the secret. Maybe I can get them a message to come out now that the danger has passed."

"Then let me take the boy until they can be contacted. He has been through a traumatic experience tonight and needs proper care."

"No, Minerva, I demand you respect my judgment in this matter."

She looked at him for a minute before saying, "And I demand you give me a proper answer!"

"There are things that cannot be shared, Minerva. You have known me long enough to know that I would not take such a stance if it was not necessary."

She stared hard at him before replying, "Very well, Albus, but it is under protest. And to be clear, if any harm comes to the boy, you will answer to me."

"So noted, Minerva."

**H&S**

Sirius reappeared at the door to Amelia's flat and burst through the door without knocking. Just as he cleared the door, he was met by Amelia's wand pointing between his eyes. Sirius immediately focused on the small child in Amelia's arms.

"Oh, good," Sirius muttered, shaking visibly. "Is Harry here, too?"

"No, Why? Tilly just appeared with Susan who was screaming 'Hawwy' at the top of her lungs. We only got her settled a few minutes ago, after a few liberally applied but weakened calming charms."

Sirius slumped down into a chair. "James and Lily are dead. Harry wasn't there, I couldn't find him anywhere, and I only found a bloodstain on his stuffed grim."

"Oh, Lord. Tilly?"

She popped in. "Yes, Ma'am?"

"What was happening when you went to Susan?"

"Mistress Lily told Tilly to take Miss Susan and Master Harry and go. Tilly apologized for not being able to take an unbonded wizard with her due to the wards over the house and left with Miss Susan."

Sirius, his voice breaking, said, "At least you got Susan out. What was going on and where was Lily?"

"As soon as Mistress Lily saw Tilly, she moved in front of Master Harry. The bad wizard was there. Master James was already gone."

Amelia narrowed her eyes. "Voldemort?"

Tilly nodded her head.

Amelia asked "Why do you ask where she was?"

Sirius jumped up and frantically paced the room. "I found Lily lying in front of Susan's crib instead of protecting Harry. Once I saw that Susan's things were gone, I guessed that you had picked her up, so Lily shouldn't have been there."

"So you think someone moved her?"

He stopped and looked at her, a pained expression filling his face. "That makes the most sense, but the only people who knew the secret were you, Albus, Peter, and me. Peter's run off. I'm pretty sure he had to let the Dark Lord in since I found this amongst a pile of robes and ash." He pulled out the bone white wand that was the trademark of Voldemort.

Amelia looked wide-eyed at the familiar wand. "Do you really think he's gone?"

"For now, probably, yeah, but who knows with that guy?" He plopped back down into a chair, sinking his head into his hands, and asked, "Where could Harry be?"

She moved over to him and softly said, "I don't know. If we find out who moved Lily, then we would have the answer. My guess is Dumbledore. But we are going to damn well find out."

Just then, their Auror badges chirped as the situation at the Potters was revealed and they both heard the alert that was put out on Sirius as the secret keeper.

"We've got to clear your name quickly, and then find Harry."

"I know but I need to find Peter and drag him in there before he scurries away like the rat he is. If we give him time, he will be long gone." He pulled out the mirror and tapped a different set of runes on it. He looked up at her and said, "I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier. The mirror can be used as a tracker as well and Peter has one. He's not far."

He handed her Voldemort's wand and kissed her on the cheek. While they did not have a romantic relationship, it was not for the lack of trying on Sirius' part. Before he left, she held out her wand and said 'encapsulate' before doing the same to herself. He nodded as the memory of the marriage contract between Harry and Susan was locked away. The only way to trigger the memory was by either child asking about the other child after a period of ten years. With the contract safely locked away in the private vaults of the Heads of Bones and Potter, no one would be able to find out about it.

"Be careful, and stay safe."

Sirius eventually tracked down Peter in an alley and that was when things went south. He heard Peter yell something and then things went black. When he woke up, he was surrounded by Aurors. He was roughly pulled up and placed in magically binding manacles. The next thing he knew, he was in an interrogation room facing Bartemis Crouch, Cornelius Fudge, and Albus Dumbledore.

He was not even given a chance to speak as he was accused of one thing after the other. The only reprieve he got was when Amelia stormed the room demanding to be allowed to represent Sirius. Sirius breathed a sigh of relief until Albus escorted her out to discuss things. When she returned, she walked up to Sirius and slapped his face. With a growled out demand of, 'how could you?' Amelia turned and walked out, saying they should lock the bastard up.

With no trial and no chance of being heard, Sirius was led straight to Azkaban. As his cell door slammed, Albus was standing there with a small smile on his face. In his mind, Sirius could just hear Albus saying it was for the 'Greater Good'.

Albus was smiling as he left Azkaban Island. Sirius Black was eliminated as was Edgar and Gloria Bones. He had already used his position to seal the Potter will so that the arrangements made by James and Lily would not get out. It simply would not do for the world to find out that Sirius was not in fact the Potter secret keeper. He only had a few more loose ends to tie up and that included the Longbottoms.

He had already sent them a message saying things were over and had sent another message saying Frank and Alice had knowledge of the Dark Lord's whereabouts. It was only a matter of time before the two collided and yet another loose end would be taken care of. Once that was done, Albus would make his move to take up the title of Legal and Magical Guardian of Harry Potter. Despite his eagerness, Albus knew he could not move too fast, as that would look suspicious.

When DMLE Head Crouch asked the whereabouts of Harry, Albus simply replied that he had him someplace safe until he could be united with the proper guardians and that seemed to placate the chief law enforcement officer. It was in fact a relief to him not to have to deal with it at the moment.

When Albus reappeared in his office in the Ministry, he was pleased to find a piece of parchment as well as a memory vial. His imperious had evidently worked on Amelia as she had delivered what he had commanded. His time spent rummaging in the mind of Amelia was paying off handsomely and he was able to counter almost every move they made to protect themselves. He knew where every bit of evidence was and sealing the Potter vault kept that one from being exposed until Harry came of age. By that time, Sirius Black would have died from the effects of the Dementors at Azkaban, and it would no longer be an issue. Sirius' incarceration would also see another copy effectively locked away but he would have to act with a bit of disinformation to block the ones the Goblins held with a timer running. If he was successful, he could spin a story that would have the Goblin claims dismissed easily.

November 1, 1981

4:00 AM

Petunia Dursley sat on the couch in her living room holding what could only be her nephew as his bright green eyes shone up at her. Being a mother, she had heard the high pitched wailing coming from her front step and hurried down to see what was going on. The last thing she expected to find on her front step was an abandoned child in a basket.

The letter that accompanied him told her of her sister's death and how it was up to her to raise the child as her own. If the child was Lily and James', then he would obviously be magical and she was not prepared to deal with that. She remembered the days of her youth and how strange things would happen during Lily's fits of rage. As she read the letter, a feeling of unease settled over her and she fought an urge to lash out at the child. The only thing that kept her from doing so was when she stared into his eyes that shown as bright green as Lily's had.

Her thoughts drifted to Lily and how she had pushed her away out of jealousy. That mistake along with her pride led to a permanent split between the once-close sisters, a split that Petunia regretted not repairing before time ran out. The toddler looked upon her with his bright green eyes and then snuggled into her. The feeling of love that flowed over her led her to vow to do everything in her power to protect the boy as she could no longer try to do for her beloved sister.

No sooner than she had vowed in her head and heart, a letter floated down form the ceiling and landed on the table in front of her. She hesitantly reached to pick it up until she saw the neat script of her sister and hurriedly tore the envelope open.

_My Dearest Petunia,_

_My heart breaks at the thought of our separation. I never meant to hurt you in any way but it seems that is what I did anyway. _

_Your attempts to join me in a world that was foreign to both of us have stayed with me throughout my whole life. I knew that at one point, there was someone out there who would do anything for me. _

_I'd like to let you in on a little secret. The magical world is nothing like they described to Mum and Dad that night. Yes the unicorns and fairies and fanciful creatures are there, but it's not always sunshine and rainbows._

_After a few years, I was thrilled that you weren't in this world. There is so much darkness and evil that permeates this society that I was glad you weren't sucked in as I was. I know you are asking the question of why I immersed myself so deeply in my studies but the answer is easy; I did it to give myself the best chance to simply survive. I quickly recognized something from our early studies, before we were separated: one of Darwin's theories could easily be proven. It was the one about only the strongest surviving, and the strongest are not always the good kind. Sometimes, the only thing that made me smile during school was the knowledge that you were safe. _

_I know you well, and the next thing you will ask is why I didn't leave. The answer is easy, once they have you inside, you are trapped. If I were to leave before I came of age, they would strip me of my magic and permanently erase my memory of it. In addition to mine, yours, Mums, and Dads memories would have been taken as well and we would have been clueless about a very real danger that exists in both the magical and non-magical worlds. As it is, you already know of this world and have become wary of it. Probably even more so now._

_I know I've painted a pretty bleak picture but there was some good too. I met and married a wonderful man who gave me the child I always wanted. In fact, I have just learned that I am pregnant once again but with a daughter this time. I also made some very good friends along the way but no one will ever compare to my sister and best friend. The Evans girls were a force to be reckoned with._

_Anyway, things have turned bad and James and I have taken Harry into hiding. There's a very dangerous, very bad wizard out there who wants to kill us. Hell, who am I kidding; the line starts with him and seems to just keep going._

_With this in mind, I must make a confession to you so that you will understand some things. The people in charge are very manipulative. But no one takes advantage of one of the Evans girls, right? Anyway, I have done a little manipulation of my own to maneuver things in your direction. Please don't be upset at me but I let it be known that you and I were not on good terms. I did this so that if both James' and my plans failed, Harry would end up with you. I know it sounds stupid but these people's minds don't work like ours and they would see it as a way to make him suffer. But there is a part that I must ask forgiveness for. In our will, I stated that Harry was under no circumstances to be left in your care as you and your husband hated magic. Know that I love you and only did it to get what I wanted. I used a little of that reverse psychology you taught me about to tell them what they couldn't do, but I have high expectations that it only made sure they did what I wanted._

_If you are receiving this letter, that means that all our other friends have failed us, and you are my last resort. Please don't take it as the last choice because nothing could be further from the truth. It's just that the others are magical and would be better prepared to handle Harry. He's such a good boy, but he is incredibly powerful even at his young age and will need special attention. I can already see it in his eyes that he has the Evans intelligence and no one other than my sister would be up to the task of challenging his mind. Even if he hadn't come to you, the other guardians had sealed instructions to include you into his life as a teacher of the non-magical world and as a tutor with a non-magical education._

_I have placed a trunk in your attic that holds everything you will need to raise my son. Please do this for me Tuney. My fear is that nobody will teach him about James and myself, or teach him what the Potter name truly means. He has a lot of responsibility to shoulder in the future and will need every advantage he can get. _

_Teach him everything about both worlds that you can. You know the normal world, and I have left you books on every subject I can think of that will be helpful to him in the future to prepare him for the magical one._

_If you accept the challenge, there will be several things I need you to do quickly as I no longer trust the man Albus Dumbledore. The first thing you must do is take Harry to Gringotts and claim your right by blood to be Harry's legal guardian. Do not wait or hesitate as doing so could very well cost Harry his future. If you do this, you will have control over Harry and everything we left him, and more importantly, it will not fall to Albus Dumbledore. He may get the title of magical guardian, but that cannot be helped for now. Until Harry himself goes to Hogwarts, the magical guardian will not have a leg to stand on as Harry won't be in the magical world._

_We have set aside five hundred pounds a month to help with Harry's care. In addition to this, you will have access to my personal vault for any of Harry's extra needs. You cannot tell anyone of this account, as it is for you and Harry only. The Goblins will ask for receipts on any money spent from it. _

_The last thing I ask is that when you go to Gringotts, you ask them to have one of their healers check him from head to toe and remove any blocks or anything else found on him. They'll know what you mean. Just tell them that Lord Potter refused to place any blocks on his heir and wishes it to remain that way. _

_I have also left you a toy of sorts. You have access to an investment account that I have left you notes on. The account is set up such that no money may be removed from it, but you can enjoy the challenge of continuing to grow the Potter Estate for Harry's future. I know that probably didn't come out right, but my whole focus at this point is making sure my baby boy is taken care of. _

_When you do go to Gringotts, you must ask for Ragnok and say that it is in reference to an oath he took to one of your blood. If you want, just take this letter with you and let him read it. He is a friend, and one of the few magical people I trust absolutely. _

_Last but not least, I left a cloak in the trunk for you to use as you travel through the alley. It is big enough to conceal you and Harry as well as keep your face from view._

_I hope you will forgive me and do this for me Tuney. If these truly are my last words to you, then know that I still feel for my dear sister,_

_Love Always,_

_Lily_

Petunia broke down in sobs at the thought that Lily felt as if she needed forgiveness. Petunia's heart was breaking at the thought that Lily blamed herself when Petunia was fully aware that their estrangement was completely on Petunia's shoulders. After a while, the grief subsided and as she looked upon Harry, a new determination told hold of her. "Well, future Lord Potter. It seems we have ten years to prepare you for your life ahead. No matter what happens, remember that I will love you and will do everything I can to help you. It's the least I can do for Lily."

**H&S**

When morning broke, Vernon arrived at the breakfast table to find not one but two toddlers being fed by Petunia. The boys were happily laughing at each other and blowing raspberries back and forth. Petunia was enjoying the happiness that permeated the room even though her cheeks were still streaked with tears.

"Who the hell is this?"

"That is Harry, my dear."

"Your sister's spawn? I won't have him in this house."

She turned to glare at him and he gulped. He had long ago learned to avoid the temper of the Evans girls. "Well, you will just have to get used to it. My sister was murdered last night, and Harry is all I have left of her. He WILL be staying here."

"We can barely afford to live ourselves. How can we afford another mouth to feed?"

She thought about how to answer this and a small lie came to her. "Lily's insurance provides a monthly stipend to see to Harry's care. It will not be a problem."

Greed showed in his eyes. "How much?"

"It's only about a hundred pounds a month, so we will not have to go without by taking him in."

Vernon looked up, keeping an eye on his wife. "Is he a freak like his parents?"

"More than likely. She also provided information for me to help with any problems that might arise."

"Fine, you can keep the brat but he will be your responsibility, and he WILL be kept away from my normal son. My son will not suffer by his being here."

"Vernon, I resent the implication that I would neglect MY son in favor of Harry. I will agree to your wishes. Now, since it is Saturday, will you be around today?"

"Yes… why?"

"Good, you can watch _your_ son while I go to London and handle some paperwork matters dealing with Harry."

"But…"

"What, Vernon? I must do this today or we might very well lose that stipend. I would take Dudley with me, but you were the one who said that Harry and Dudley couldn't be around each other."

He sagged in defeat. "How long will you be gone?"

"I expect most of the day. There are significant legal matters that must be dealt with."

Vernon huffed at her before he stood as tall as he could, clearly in an attempt to let her know who was boss. "Fine, but you'd better not make it a habit."

Petunia saw the pose for what it was and returned a condescending glare. "I'm sure it won't happen often. At the most, maybe once a month until he grows older."

**H&S**

Petunia arrived at the Leaky Cauldron and was in shock at the celebration that was taking place. There were drunken wizards and witches celebrating the events of the prior night and praising her nephew. No mention was made of the sacrifice that James and Lily made, and she had to admit, it hurt her quite a bit. She decided then and there that she would carefully watch the happenings in this world so that she could prepare Harry better for the future. She made her way to Gringotts after Tom opened the portal for her, keeping herself and Harry well covered in the heavy cloak her sister had given her.

As she approached a teller, he growled out, "May I help you?"

"Yes, sir, I need to speak with Ragnok on a matter of utmost urgency."

The Goblin looked her up and down before he said, "Ragnok does not speak to humans. Especially squib ones."

"Excuse me, sir, but it is in reference to an oath he took to one of my blood kin."

"And who would be your blood kin."

Petunia looked around the lobby for a second before she uncovered the sleeping form of Harry. The Goblin's eyes widened and he jumped down from his stool and motioned for her to follow him. As he led her into a room, he said, "Wait here. It will be more private. Lady Potter set everything up and I will escort you to Ragnok as soon as his current appointment leaves."

Albus Dumbledore was furious as Ragnok basically told him that he would have to destroy the entire Goblin nation before he would be allowed access to any vaults other than his own. When Albus persisted, Ragnok rose to his feet. "I don't care if you are the Chief Warlock, Supreme Mud Duck, or the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Even my King cannot have access to a vault that does not have his blood keyed into it. The only way the Potter vaults will ever be reopened is when Harry Potter steps through that door, after he comes of age, and demands access. Even then, that will be after we cut his hand open and ensure that it isn't some trick by you disgusting thieving wizards to try and steal another Houses' assets."

Albus stormed out of the bank in a snit, especially after his titles were disparaged.

Ragnok gave himself a minute to calm down before he called his next appointment. When a frightened looking Petunia walked through the door, he immediately tried to put her at ease.

"Forgive my mood, dear lady. I just had a most unpleasant conversation with Albus Dumbledore. It seems your arrival at this time was fortunate, as he is already making a play for control of House Potter's assets. According to him, it is only a matter of time before he takes guardianship of Harry, and should therefore be allowed to peruse any legal documents in advance."

Petunia tried to smile, but the presence of the goblin and his clear anger left her failing. "My sister Lily asked me to come here, but I don't understand most of it."

Ragnok led her to two comfortable chairs and sat facing her. "Lily and James were friends. It is rare for someone like me to be able to call them that, but that's what they were. They will be missed."

She nodded. "At least you have the decency to acknowledge James and Lily. Thank you for that. Those swine the in the Leaky Cauldron were celebrating their deaths."

Ragnok observed, "It makes one wonder why we even try sometimes, Milady. Is that bundle moving under your cloak little Harry?"

She pulled back the cloak and two bright green eyes peered up at him. Ragnok smiled, "Well, hello again, little Harry."

Harry looked around the room and started calling out 'Sue'. She looked at Ragnok and asked, "He's been doing that all morning whenever he gets nervous. Do you know what it means?"

"I do, but I have been sworn to secrecy over the matter until Harry turns eleven. Why don't we just say that he is missing a friend and leave it at that?"

She nodded and then handed him the letter. As he read it, he nodded along with several parts before he looked up at her.

"Mrs. Dursley, we at Gringotts will do everything in our power to help you from a legal standpoint. At Lily's request, we are declaring you a squib. Do you know what that means?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you find it acceptable?"

"What are the benefits of you doing so?"

Ragnok smiled "I'm glad you asked. Lily was right about your intelligence. By declaring you a squib and by being blood relation to young Harry, we are able to bend the rules a little and give you legal control over House Potter. You will not have the power to enter contracts and such, but it will give you the power to keep the hyenas at bay. Lily wants you to invest the funds in the muggle world in order to secure a more stable future for Harry. In turn, Gringotts will offer our help and even help train you in investment banking, as well as aid you in dealing with any legal matters that come up. James signed a contract placing House Potter under our protection until Harry comes of age. All of the fees and so forth for this arrangement were pre-paid by James and Lily, so no additional charges will come to you or against young Harry's vaults."

"What's in it for you?"

"Ah, very good. You're right; there are no free gifts in business. Most of what we will do will be due to the respect we held for your sister and her husband. As far as the other part, in your capacity as Harry's legal guardian and investor, we at Gringotts may come to you from time to time and ask you to invest in a muggle company for us. Our last treaty with the Ministry prohibited us from interacting with the muggle world. However, if money was to be placed in your vaults and you were to invest it along with an equal amount from your own accounts, it would be you investing and not us."

Petunia nodded slowly, understanding the blatant offer on the table. The real question was whether there were other games afoot than the one being made so clear. She decided to probe the edges of that question carefully. "And my being a squib gives me access to both worlds without question."

"Precisely."

"Can I call upon your resources when I get stuck? I'm not magical, and there will be things I don't understand that Lily has asked me to teach to Harry."

"We would be more than happy to help in that capacity. In fact, I would say that my nation would welcome it."

"Why?"

"Harry will be very powerful politically one of these days. If he looks favorably upon my nation, then maybe he will help us gain equality."

Petunia nodded, understanding that there was significantly more afoot than moving money around. "Never something for nothing."

"That's not how the world works, of course, but as I said, we would do at least this much just because of the respect we had for the Potters. I'm hopeful that we, as a bank and as a sentient species, will develop a similar relationship over time with you and Harry. Now according to the letter, we have quite bit ahead of us today. Why don't we take Harry to the healers, and you and I can conduct much of our business in transferring the necessary controls over to you while we wait there."

As they sat in the medical ward of Gringotts, Petunia was about to jump up and rescue her nephew when she heard him screaming in pain. Only Ragnok's hand on her arm stopped her. "I'm sorry, but it must be this way. They are correcting quite a bit of evil things that have been done to the boy in the last day. May I ask how the boy came to be in your care?"

She growled out, "Albus Dumbledore. Left him like a sack of potatoes on my stoop."

"I feared as much. Would you be against me sending some people by your house on Monday after your husband goes to work?"

"Not necessarily, but why? And I trust they will be . . . hard to see."

"We do know how to be invisible, yes. To answer your question, I want to look for any wards that Dumbledore may have placed, and have them checked to make sure nothing there is harmful to you or your family. We may wish to add a bit of protection of our own, if you don't object and the team finds it beneficial."

"How much will it cost?"

"Nothing, dear lady, consider it protecting our business arrangement. As I mentioned, James and Lily arranged everything ahead of time."

**H&S**

The Goblin curse breakers and warders who arrived at Privet Dr that next Monday were amazed at all the things they found. Many of them were negative emotion wards directed at Harry instead of the Blood Wards based on love as the letter from Dumbledore described. The team's Head Goblin on site reported back to Ragnok, and soon Petunia was faced with a smirking Goblin. It was something that secretly terrified her.

The reason for the smirk was soon explained and Petunia was soon much happier. She had noticed the emotions were stirring up in her over the weekend and the only way she fought it was through the vow she made and her obvious love for the two children in her house. The leader quickly explained that while Dumbledore was a powerful wizard, and was quite skilled in human magic, he only thought he knew wards – but Goblins knew wards that humans had not even conceived of in thousands of years. Without interrupting any of the alerts Dumbledore had woven into the wards, they removed all the negative components and replaced them with true Goblin wards that would offer some real protection for the young family. By the end of the day, Dumbledore would never even know that they had been there and "adjusted" the wards.

**H&S**

As Harry grew older, Petunia began his education and taught him everything Lily had left them. Lily's prediction was right, and Harry demonstrated that he definitely inherited the Evans' intelligence genes. He absorbed everything quickly and sat there waiting for more. He was so eager that she began normal studies with him as well, much to Vernon's displeasure.

Harry was a well behaved child and rarely gave either Vernon or Petunia any trouble, but for some reason Vernon just never took to the boy. Harry always helped out around the house and never complained when more chores were given him. In Petunia's eyes, he was the perfect child, so maybe that was the problem as Dudley had been spoiled by his father and aunt from an early age. He would often use his angel status with his father to his advantage against Harry and at times Petunia.

Vernon and Petunia rarely fought but when they did, it was always over Harry. In Vernon's opinion, Petunia was spending too much time with the boy and ignoring her own son. Petunia's argument was that she never worked with Harry unless Dudley was gone to play with his friends. In her opinion, it was the only way Harry could play since Vernon refused to allow Harry out in the neighborhood lest he do something "freaky" and embarrass the family. It was an argument that would continue until Harry turned eleven and left for his "freak" school.

When Harry started muggle school, Petunia pushed him to do the best he could, much to Vernon's displeasure. Whenever Harry would come home with a high grade, she would give him a look that to Harry meant the world as he could see how proud she was of him. The grades were not shown to Vernon so as not to set him off, since Dudley's grades were not the best. It was just one of the things Petunia struggled with, as she loved Dudley dearly but found him to be a disappointment in his studies. Petunia tried her best with Dudley and tutored him as well, trying to help him improve, but quickly found he had no desire to be a good student and only wanted to live the life of the pampered prince.

By the age of eight, Petunia had exhausted all of the material which Lily had left for them and Harry was asking if there was more he could learn about. In truth, most of the information left for Harry was at the basic level. While some of it had been fanciful tales told to wizarding children, it left him with the feeling of learning of his parents' world and he craved as much detail as he could get. Harry stumbled upon Petunia one afternoon as she was going over the Potter accounts and looking at the investment portfolio. He was intrigued and started trying to learn as much as he could of his financial matters. This pleased Petunia immensely, as she was seeing that one day Harry would be able to take care of himself. It also made her a little sad as that would mean that one day, he would no longer need her. She had a flashback to Lily leaving her behind and quickly had to cover her sadness.

Harry was very intuitive, especially when it came to his Aunt and was beside her in a second. Her heart filled with love when he said, "I'll always need you in my life, Aunt Tuney. I promise!"

Petunia realized that she was now stuck with Harry's magical education and turned to Ragnok for help. After a discussion between the three of them, Ragnok added some new courses for study as well as offered to provide a portkey and tutoring every Saturday for the young man. At first Petunia blanched at this, as it would only cause more problems at home.

Harry realized what the problem was and quickly said, "The portkey will bring me straight here and back home. If I'm not safe with Uncle Ragnok, then who would I be safe with?"

Ragnok looked at him surprised. "You consider me family?"

Harry looked him straight in the eye. "Of course I do. Except for my Aunt, you are the only one who has ever helped me. My Aunt taught me a long time ago that family helps each other, so how could you be anything else?"

Ragnok straightened. "Very well then, nephew; let us talk about your new studies. During the week, I would like you to continue with your Aunt in the financial aspects of the Potter accounts. This work along with studying the basics of finance will help you in the future. I think I will have someone tutor you in basic accounting so that your Aunt can focus on the specifics of investing with you. Did you know that she had the highest rate of return amongst all our accounts, except for the occasions when we tag along with her investments? Your Aunt has earned the reputation as one of the best investors in Gringotts, and I couldn't find a more fitting tutor for you."

"What do you mean?"

Ragnok chuckled for a moment before explaining. "The Potter accounts had taken a serious hit during the last war, despite your mother's best efforts. It seems your father chose to help fund an organization called the Order of the Phoenix and they used quite a bit of money. Since the time that Petunia took over and has been managing the accounts and investments, the Potter balance has recovered what was spent during the war and then added half again as well. I would imagine by the time you come of age, she will have even further increased the amount of gold in your vault."

Petunia asked, "Could we perhaps reinstate the investment account Lily left for me to practice on before taking over the Potter accounts? I think it would serve Harry better to have some actual experience in the matter. I would also like to say that a few of those last moves were Harry's suggestions, and after looking at them from his point of view, I agreed with him."

Ragnok's eyes rose. "He rivals you and your sister in his boldness."

Petunia smiled, "He convinced me that Exxon Mobil was a company that would see great returns in the future."

Ragnok smiled, "Are you sure nephew?"

Harry looked up, "I'm only eight, Uncle, but the only way I can describe it is that it just felt like the right thing to do besides, it didn't hurt that they have posted some of the highest profit margins for the last five years."

Ragnok sat there for a minute. "How much did you invest?"

Harry replied, "Only one hundred thousand galleons."

Ragnok's eyebrows rose. "A half a million pounds on a gut feeling. Hmm… very well, would you mind if we tagged along as well?"

This time it was Harry's eyebrows that rose. "You're willing to risk that much on the feelings of an eight year old?"

Ragnok laughed. "Why not? It's only money. Hmmm… I hope the board didn't hear that… anyway, the greatest rewards come with the greatest risks."

Harry said, "In that case, set up the investment account for me for another one hundred thousand. If you match it, we will invest further in the company. There are a few other companies we could invest in, but I don't feel that the time is right and this one will give us the highest rate of return in the shortest amount of time."

Ragnok just looked at the eight year old in disbelief for a second before scribbling something on a piece of parchment and sliding it over to Petunia. "Very well, now in addition to your financial studies, I think it would be best if you and your Aunt started studying wizarding culture and comportment. Your manners are impeccable for non-magical society, but I think it would be best if you did this before returning to the magical world. I also would like for you to be tutored in a variety of subjects by some of my staff."

Petunia looked up. "And those subjects would be?"

Again Ragnok gave her the evil grin. "I was thinking a little non-magical combat training to start off with, as it will be beneficial for his body."

Petunia started to protest but was stopped when Ragnok held his hand up. "I can assure you that it will only be physical training, and not include combat skills, my dear friend."

After she gave a small smile and a bow of her head, Ragnok continued, "Since he needs an intellectual challenge, I was thinking about the study of runes as it will not have an effect on his magical core. In general, it is a good subject to become acquainted with. I would also love to have someone tutor him in his future role, but I feel that would be impossible at the moment until we can find someone who we all trust. While on that subject, do you have a time frame for assuming the titles of lordship?"

Harry looked at Petunia and shrugged. She chuckled in turn, saying, "We have discussed it and have decided to wait as long as we can. Our only concern is to remove the magical guardianship title from Dumbledore before Harry goes to Hogwarts."

Ragnok leaned back in his chair. "There is a way but we have plenty of time for that. Why don't we revisit that subject when Harry turns eleven? Until then, I think we have more than enough to keep my nephew occupied."

Harry smiled, but asked, "Couldn't you do it?"

"Do what, Harry?"

"Be my magical guardian?"

Ragnok sat back once again. "I'm honored, Harry, but the Ministry would never allow a Goblin to have that much control over an Ancient and Noble House."

"Even though my Dad thought enough of you to do so?"

"Unfortunately, yes."


End file.
